


Fate that Falls

by Quoshara



Series: Ebb and Flow [2]
Category: Riptide (TV)
Genre: Hand Kink, M/M, Pre-Slash, chowder, knots
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-05-21
Updated: 2011-05-21
Packaged: 2017-10-19 15:54:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,598
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/202578
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Quoshara/pseuds/Quoshara
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There's what Cody wants. And then there's dealing with right now. They don't really go together...</p>
            </blockquote>





	Fate that Falls

**Author's Note:**

> Written, as always, for my P-i-C...who is also a wonderful beta. *hugs her*

* * *

_"I do not believe in a fate that falls on men however they act; but I do believe in a fate that falls on man unless they act."_ ~G.K. Chesterton

* * *

"So, then I just wrap it around like this, and I'm done?" Long thin fingers pulled tight on the line, smoothing over the knot as if to ensure that the knot was strong and holding. They moved with a steady eloquence, pale but strong for all their thinness, and, in spite of their owner's questioning voice, very sure.

"Cody? Am I done?"

"Wha--? Oh... oh sure Murray. That was just perfect."

"I'm sorry, Cody. I don't mean to be a pest... I just find this all fascinating and I want to know how... how things work so I can be more helpful around here."

"No! No, Murray. Really. You're not being a pest. You're doing fine." Cody tore his eyes away from Murray's hands to look up into dark hopeful eyes. "Really. You tied it perfectly."

"It still feels a bit awkward, " Murray tugged at the ropes, untying the sheet bend he'd just finished. Cody kept his eyes firmly locked on Murray's face and not those wonderfully expressive hands.

"It will feel more comfortable the more you practice," Cody assured him. _Yes, more comfortable for you, but torture for me to watch. God, those hands._

"Just like everything else, huh?" Murray grinned. "I'll learn how to tie knots and tune the engines, then next, piloting, right?"

"Piloting... yeah...." Cody's thoughts drifted away again. _Murray's hands tracking over charts, steady at the helm of the Riptide. Murray's hands drifting over to--_

"Cody... Are you in there?" Murray laughed waving his hand in front of Cody's face, sending the scent of hemp rope and machine oil drifting toward him.

"Wha--? Oh. I'm sorry, Murray." Cody gave him a sheepish laugh. "Don't know why I keep drifting off like that. Must just be feeling kinda drowsy from the sun."

Murray looked up at the overcast sky with a skeptical expression on his face, "Well... I don't think that's it, but you do seem kind of tired, or something...."

"Yeah.. or something...Look, Murray, we've been at this long enough for now and Nick isn't going to be back until six o'clock. Why don't we go over to the Fish Peddler's and grab some chowder for lunch?" Cody reached for a distraction.

"Boss! I'll go 'stow the line'." Murray gave one of his bright haws of laughter. "Then I'll wash my hands and be ready to go. You need me to bring anything back up with me?"

At Cody's headshake, Murray coiled up the line and then dashed into the cabin.

"Oh, God...." Cody collapsed back in his deck chair as soon as Murray disappeared from sight. What was he going to do? He couldn't keep staring at the man's hands or even someone as clueless as Murray was going to think it was very strange.

And, _damn it_ , it was strange. He'd never had such a fixation on someone before, and he couldn't fool himself into believing it was _just_ Murray's hands he was fixated on. No, it was the whole, naive, clueless, sweet package that was Murray Bozinsky.

Murray, who kept them up late because he'd scared himself with old horror movies. Murray, who laughed too loud and at the most ridiculous and inappropriate moments. Murray, who wore sweaters and long sleeves and was cold even in the midst of a Southern California summer. Murray, who worried over them and cranked out another book when they were running short of money. Murray, with the wonderful hands, who used them to coax answers to their questions out of that computer of his, working long past the time when he and Nick were both bored out of their minds and dozing in the salon. Murray, who at this very moment was below washing his hands, water and soap flowing over those strong, limber fing--- _Damn it!_ He had to stop this!

Cody surged to his feet and paced to the bow of the Riptide, looking out over the harbor.

He really needed to get control of himself, because if Murray didn't notice the way he was staring at his hands, he sure as hell would notice how hard Cody got from staring at his hands...or thinking of them... _and God help him if Murray touched him_....

And if Murray didn't notice, Nick was going to be mentioning something about it very soon. Because Nick, wonderful friend that he was, thought the whole thing was hilarious.

"The great Cody Allen, never brought down by beauty queens or any of his fellow yachtsmen, but ready to fall at the feet of the geeky guy with the great hands."

 _Yeah, thanks a lot, Nick. See if I ever confide in you again._

But as annoyed as Nick made him, he knew Nick was only trying to help. Nick really was his best friend, and he wanted both Cody and Murray to be happy. And in Nick's books it would be totally cool if what made the two of them happy was each other. No question asked, no issues about it at all. Cody just couldn't figure out if Murray would be as open-minded about the whole thing as he knew Nick was.

A hand clasped over his shoulder, "You ready to go, Cody?"

"Uh..." _Christ!_ "No... um... I need to use the head...." Cody quickly ducked past Murray.

"Okay. I'll meet you up at the gate." Murray's voice trailed after him.

 _Wonderful, now I'm running away from him like a blushing virgin._ Cody ducked into the head, locking the door behind him.

"Water... cold water...." He turned on the taps and splashed cold water over his face. Unfortunately, his face was not where he really needed the water to go.

Cody groaned and looked down at the tented evidence of his khaki slacks. Much more of this and he'd have to change them for something darker just for safety's sake. Or maybe he should just....? It wouldn't take long, not with how hard he'd been for most of the morning....

He quickly unzipped his slacks, and pushed down his shorts, carefully freeing his erection. That part of his anatomy obviously thought this was a wonderful idea, and as wet as it was, Cody was lucky there hadn't already been a dark spot on the front of his khaki's.

He ran one hand over the length of it, slow and rough. _God, that was good._ Not as good as having someone else do it for you, but at this point his dick was not fussy, it just wanted relief. And if the thought of someone else, someone with long slim fingers, fingers that danced over a keyboard or whipped expressively through the air to emphasize a point, fingers that might soothe flesh the way they finessed electronics, flashed through his head, it only made the whole thing that.... much....more.... _God._

"Murray....." Cody groaned out the name as he came, painting the sink with creamy fluid. Shivering with reaction, he closed his eyes, his forehead coming to rest against the cool surface of the mirror.

*Tap...tap...tap...*

 _Shit!_ Someone was knocking on the door.

Cody quickly cleaned himself up, tugging at his shorts and slacks.

"Cody? Did you call me?" Murray, of course, calling from the other side of the door. _Could his day get any more embarrassing?_

"Call you? No." Cody was impressed with how steady his voice sounded. "I was just talking to myself and I probably said, 'Murray's going to wonder what's taking me so long...' or something..."

He finished zipping his slacks, tugged down his shirt tail, checked his face in the mirror, then opened the door.

"I just came in to grab my other sweater. The wind's picked up a little and I thought I might get cold," Murray smiled at him, with a puzzled expression. "Are you sure you're okay? Your face looks a little red."

"No, I'm fine, Boz. Maybe just a bit too much sun." _Except it's overcast, you idiot_. "You know they say that you can get your worst sunburn when it's overcast."

 _Whew, that was a good save._

"That is so true." Murray agreed. "You know, one time Baba and I were on a trip with our parents and....."

Cody smiled, letting Murray's voice wash over him as the two of them headed for the pier. This, really, was why he was nervous about telling Murray how he felt. He honestly liked the guy, everything else aside, and he was afraid that if he told Murray that he was interested in more than friendship it might make all of this...weird. Cody wasn't sure if the chance of something more, was worth the possibility of losing something that was already so good. It was a decision he'd have to make and very soon.

But not right now. Right now was for clam chowder and laughing as Murray floated crackers on the top and then ate them as fast as he could before floating a few more in his bowl. Because although Murray liked crackers in his chowder, he could not stand to eat them once they got soggy. Maybe it was also a day to get Murray to have a drink with lunch, because he was just so damn cute when he got a bit tipsy and giggly. And maybe, if Cody had a drink as well - or maybe two - he'd get enough courage to do more than just _look_ at Murray's hands.

  


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